Freddie Gray trial

This Washington Post article about homicide rates in Baltimore is important for two reasons. First, it confirms with updated statistics the killing spree that followed attacks on policing in Baltimore after Freddy Gray’s accidental death. Second, it demonstrates why recidivism rates based on arrest statistics vastly understate the amount of crime committed by those released for prison. This point has major implications for the federal jailbreak legislation that recently became »

This week, Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis dismissed all administrative charges against Alicia White, the last officer facing discipline in the Freddie Gray case. Thus, all six officers who were accused of wrongdoing in connection with Gray’s death will keep their jobs. Of the other five, one was not charged administratively; two were cleared by an administrative review board; and two pleaded guilty at the administrative level, accepted discipline, and »

Sean Suiter, an 18 year veteran of the Baltimore police force, joined its homicide unit two years ago to help combat the murder spree plaguing the city. Suiter thus bucked a trend. The Baltimore police force was shrinking due to the resignation of officers in response to lack of support from the mayor and the local prosecutor following the accidental death of Freddy Gray while in police custody. Last week, »

The criminal cases brought by Marilyn Mosby in the Freddy Gray matter have all been dismissed. Not one was successful. Now Mosby is in the dock. She is the defendant in a civil action brought by five of the six accused police officers. Casear Goodson, driver of the police van in which Gray was injured and the only defendant to be charged with homicide, did not join the case. Yesterday, »

We wrote here about the resignation of Lisa Phelps, a 15-year veteran prosecutor who objected to continuing the prosecution of one of the six officers involved in the arrest and/or transport of Freddie Gray. Now a second prosecutor who, along with Phelps was on the team that would have prosecuted that officer and another, has resigned. Sarah David declined to specify her reasons for resigning. However, she did say that »

Carly Hoilman of the Blaze says Fox News’ Trace Gallagher is reporting that leaked text messages between one of Marilyn Mosby’s deputies and the lead investigator in the Freddie Gray case raise new concerns about Mosby’s honesty and good faith in deciding to charge six officers with Gray’s death. The leaked messages reportedly suggest that the prosecutors planned to charge the officers regardless of what the evidence showed. Detective Dawnyell »

The Baltimore Sun reports that the cost of defending the six Baltimore police officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray emptied the coffers of the city’s police union. The union was able to stay afloat only because its members voted to double the dues. The vote was unanimous, according to the Sun’s sources. Marilyn Mosby has finally dropped all charges in these cases. However, the dues will »

Marilyn Mosby burned most, if not all, of her bridges to Baltimore’s law enforcement community when she decided to prosecute and overcharge six Baltimore police officers and announced the decision with great fanfare. The fanfare brought her national celebrity including a Vogue magazine spread. It also earned her the contempt of Baltimore’s police officers. The resulting demoralization of the police force has coincided with a steep increase in violent crime. »

Prosecutors have dropped all remaining charges against the three remaining Baltimore police officers (William Porter, Garrett Miller, Alicia White) accused of crimes in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray. Three other original defendants (Edward Nero, Caesar Goodson, and Brian Rice) have been found not guilty. The Baltimore Sun describes the prosecution’s move as “startling,” and maybe it is. However, it was the only rational decision available. In the trials »

Circuit Judge Barry Williams has acquitted Brian Rice of all charges related to Freddy Gray’s arrest and death. This is the fourth time, in four attempts, that prosecutors have failed to obtain a conviction in the Freddy Gray case. Judge Williams cleared Rice of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and misconduct in office charges this morning. Previously, he had dismissed a second-degree assault charge. Prosecutors dropped a second misconduct charge at »

Jermaine Schofield was gunned down in Baltimore on Sunday, one of three murder victims in the city that day. Today, Schofield’s family held a vigil for him. During the vigil, a gunman fired at attendees. Five were hit. Thankfully, all are expected to survive. These events are not an aberration. Baltimore has descended into chaos since, in the aftermath of Freddy Gray’s death, the city failed to back its police »

Caesar Goodson, Jr., the Baltimore police officer who allegedly gave Freddie Gray a “rough ride” that killed him, was acquitted today of all charges by Circuit Judge Barry Williams. The decision probably means that all of the officers being prosecuted in the Gray matter will be found not guilty (assuming charges aren’t dropped). Judge Williams had already acquitted Edward Nero. Taken together, the judge’s rulings seem to imply that, in »

Testimony has concluded in the case of Caesar Goodson, Jr., the police officer who drove the van that held Freddie Gray. The defense rested on Friday without putting Goodson on the stand. Closing arguments will take place on Monday, with a verdict from the judge (Goodson waived his right to a jury trial) expected later in the week. Goodson faces the most serious charges of any defendant in this matter, »

Judge Barry Williams today acquitted Officer Edward Nero on all counts brought against him for his treatment of Freddy Gray, who died in police custody. Nero was acquitted of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and two counts of misconduct in office. The prosecution argued that Nero assaulted Gray by detaining Gray without justification. The reckless endangerment charge was based on his role in putting Gray into an arrest wagon without buckling »

Ever since the trial of Officer William Porter in connection with Freddy Gray’s death ended with a hung jury, I’ve been dying to know how the jury voted. Now, the the Baltimore Sun, tells us: The jury in the trial of Baltimore Police Officer William G. Porter was one vote from acquitting him of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Freddie Gray, the most serious charge he faced, according to »

I wrote here about Judge Barry Williams’ order that Officer William Porter, who is awaiting retrial, will have to testify against colleagues who also are charged in the Freddy Gray cases. Porter argued that the Fifth Amendment gives him the right not to testify, inasmuch as he is still in legal jeopardy and his testimony might tend to incriminate him, but the judge rejected this contention. As I noted, Porter’s »

Earlier this month the trial of Officer William Porter resulted in a mistrial when a Baltimore jury failed to reach a verdict on any of the charges against him in connection with Freddy Gray’s death. Now, another trial of Porter is set to begin on June 13 of next year. The fact that Porter will stand trial again poses a problem for the prosecution in its case against Officer Caesar »